139-05 - Future Parental or Nonparental Identity in Transgender Young People

By Muzi Chen, Jenifer McGuire, Ivan Krasovec

Abstract(s)

Family Environment of Transgender Youth Who Have Experienced Homelessness

By Quinlyn Morrow, Jenifer McGuire

Qualitative analysis of the family relationships of 30 racially diverse transgender young people (ages 15-26) who have experienced homelessness. Open coding revealed themes of disaffirmation/rejection, three type of familial relationship trajectories before participants disclosed their gender identity, and current familial relationship quality. This study provides context for the complexity of familial experiences of trans youth who have been homeless, and relates these family experiences to mental health outcomes. Results show that although homelessness was a stressor in these trans young people’s lives, conflict and rejection from family members could also be severe stressors, and in these instances, participants showed resiliency in managing these relationships in ways that allowed them to maintain relationships when safe, and create distance when relationships were not supportive.

Objectives

To describe the family relationships of transgender youth who have experienced homelessness.To analyze how youth in this population resiliently respond to minority stressors when they are perpetuated by family membersTo connect qualities of family relationships and resilience strategies to mental health outcomes

Grandparents Raising Their Transgender Grandchildren

Researchers have yet to investigate the experiences of grandparents raising their transgender children. Given the relatively weak legal standing of grandparents in relation to their grandchildren, we are interested in the unique challenges these primary caretakers face as they affirm and advocate for their transgender grandchildren. This exploratory analysis examined the perspectives (at two time points) of two grandmothers, who were the primary caretakers of their transgender grandchildren (both age 6 at T1). Preliminary findings included: Parents could not adequately provide for children, so grandparents stepped in; grandparents were more accepting of child’s transgender identity than parents; grandparents had unique influence and role in social institutions. Our analysis provides a glimpse into the lives of an under-investigated population and has implications for policy and practice.

Objectives

Three measurable objectives: (a) increase awareness of the experiences of an under-investigated group—grandparents raising their transgender grandchildren; (b) identify the unique challenges and resources of affirming grandparents who are primary caregivers of their transgender grandchildren; (c) provide insights for clinicians who may work with grandparents as primary caregivers and for policymakers who can influence school- and health care-related policies that can impact these families.

Experiences of Support and Rejection From Siblings and Extended Family Members: Perspectives From Transgender Youth and Young Adults

By Lauren Smithee, Erika Grafsky, Jenifer McGuire

The importance of familial support has been emphasized throughout the literature on transgender youth and young adults. The purpose of this presentation is to report findings from an analysis of transgender young peoples’ experiences of support from siblings and extended family. Interviews with 90 transgender young people from the US, Ireland, and Canada were analyzed using thematic analysis. Participants experienced various degrees of support and rejection from family members. Siblings often mediated communication within the family or amplified contention, while grandparents were often less supportive. Members were supportive if they listened to and acknowledged the trans members’ experiences. These findings highlight the importance of open communication and support in families to promote resiliency in trans young people.

Objectives

1. To analyze trans young people's experiences of family support and rejection from siblings and extended family members.2. To identify types of family support trans youth need the most.3. To identify themes in barriers to support from siblings and extended family members.

Evangelical Christians have been largely unsupportive of queer identities, citing Biblical passages as support for heteronormativity. Developmental (Arnett, 2000) and queer theories (Oswald et al., 2005) guided this exploratory, qualitive study. Twenty-nine emerging adults ages 18-29 (M = 24.07, SD = 3.47) from Evangelical Christian environments participated in interviews. Thematic analysis was used to examine themes in the data (Bogdan & Biklen, 2003). Participants spoke of Evangelical restrictions on sexuality and gender, as well as condemnation of queer identities, and the ways in which those restrictions continued to shape their current understandings and practices of romantic relationships.

Objectives

To learn how conservative Evangelical messages about sexuality, gender, and being LGBTQ shaped the identities of queer emerging adults from Christian backgrounds.
To determine how conservative message about sexuality and gender have influenced LGBTQ emerging adults’ current understandings and practices of romantic relationships.
To understand how Evangelical communities have and haven’t been supportive of queer emerging adults, in order to provide professional support around issues of identity in the intersection of sexuality, gender, and faith.

Future Parental or Nonparental Identity in Transgender Young People

By Muzi Chen, Jenifer McGuire, Ivan Krasovec

This study describes how transgender youth experience their future parental or non-parental identity with regard to gender identity and social interactions. Using the identity status model, intersectionality framework, and symbolic interactionism, theoretical thematic analysis of 27 semi-structured interview data revealed two important messages. Transgender youth and young adults challenged the conventional parenthood based on reproduction and pregnancy (if assigned female) and embraced alternative parenthood based on parenting to align with their gender identity. Yet, they emphasized the link between partnership and parenthood, conforming to the two-parent family ideology. Our findings emphasize the need to acknowledge the variability of parenthood.

Objectives

To increase transgender youth’s visibility to a scholarly audience.
To describe transgender youth’s future parental or non-parental identity in relation to gender identity and social interactions.
To rethink the alignment between reproduction and parenthood and acknowledge various parenthood.